Cedar Lake Dam dam
Cedar Lake Dam
Cedar Lake Dam, located in Baker Bridge, North Carolina, is a privately owned structure that serves primarily for recreational purposes. Completed in 1965, this Earth-type dam stands at a structural height of 37 feet, with a hydraulic height of 32.3 feet and a length of 851 feet. It impounds Little Buffalo Creek, providing a surface area of 20 acres and a storage capacity of 300 acre-feet.
The dam is state-regulated by the NC Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, ensuring that it is regularly inspected, enforced, and permitted. Despite being classified with a significant hazard potential, the condition assessment conducted in October 2020 deemed it satisfactory. Emergency action preparedness and risk management measures are not explicitly mentioned in the available data, indicating potential areas for improvement in terms of disaster prevention and response planning.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Cedar Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study in privately owned dam infrastructure for recreational use. Its location in Cleveland County, North Carolina, along with its regulated status and satisfactory condition assessment, raise questions about the balance between recreational benefits and potential environmental risks associated with dams. Further exploration of emergency preparedness and risk management strategies could enhance the overall safety and resilience of this important water resource feature.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Cedar Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Creek Near Laboratory | 13 cfs | → |
| First Broad River Near Casar | 19 cfs | → |
| Long Creek Near Bessemer City | 4 cfs | → |
| Jacob Fork At Ramsey | 7 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Boiling Springs | 392 cfs | → |
| Henry Fork Near Henry River | 24 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cedar Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Lakeshore Drive Cleveland County
- John H. Moss Lake Recreation Park
- First Broad River Trail Shelby
- Weaver Lane Burke County
- East Charlotte Avenue Downtown
- Gunpowder Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- John H. Moss Lake City Campground
- Shelby Mission Camp
- Hounds Gateway Campground
- South Mountains State Park
- Family Campground, South Mountains State Park
- Upper Falls Campground
Track Cedar Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Cedar Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cedar Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Significant hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Cedar Lake Dam.